This watchdog blog, by journalist Norman Oder, offers analysis, commentary, and reportage about the $4.9B project to build the Barclays Center arena and 15-16 towers at a crucial site in Brooklyn. Dubbed Atlantic Yards by developer Forest City Ratner in 2003, it was rebranded Pacific Park Brooklyn in 2014 after the Chinese government-owned Greenland Group bought a 70% stake going forward. As of 2018, after the arena and four towers were built, Greenland will own 95% of future construction.

Battle for Brooklyn director's take on arena ribbon-cutting, with animated Markowitz in an interview

Battle for Brooklyn co-director Michael Galinsky visited the Barclays Center ribbon-cutting event today, as well as the pre-event protest, and weaved together scenes for a short video posted on The Local.

The video gives a flavor of the arena interior, shiny and new and getting high marks, as well as the animated, and almost-frothing Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz.

"It was the right thing to do for Brooklyn and New York," he declares. "I never ever, for one moment, no matter what names I was called, no matter the disgusting, despicable emails and letters and personal, direct innuendos that I had to read over the years, no matter what, that was yesterday, this is today. Done! It's over. Here it is, it's open, it's gone." " He claps his hands. "You can look for all the controversy you want--I look for the beautiful things."